Look at how good and pleasing it is
    when families live together as one!
 It is like expensive oil poured over the head,
    running down onto the beard—
        Aaron’s beard!—
    which extended over the collar of his robes.
 It is like the dew on Mount Hermon
    streaming down onto the mountains of Zion,
    because it is there that the Lord has commanded the blessing:
        everlasting life.

Psalm 133

I know I have used this scripture already during the past week, but it speaks so profoundly into our lives at the moment. It really is a most beautiful thing when people live together in harmony. Also, the promise of peace is so much at the heart of the gospel message that it cannot be repeated often enough.

Yesterday – Monday – was a pivotal day in terms of all four grandchildren (Naomi’s crew aged ten, nine, 20-months; and Andrew’s Mr. T. who is almost three) occupying the same space. Mr. T. – who is not only used to being “an only child”, but also starved for routine in the middle of a marathon travel summer – stayed at Maul Hall with his cousins while our children went out for a long, relaxed lunch together.

The next three hours the children all played together beautifully, featuring stellar elder-cousin work by David. We had a grand total of zero meltdowns, everyone stayed at the table for lunch, and happiness (noisy happiness) reigned.

I’m not sure what did the most to make my day, enjoying the happy grandchildren or seeing the young adults enjoying one another so much. All around, it was a beautiful thing.

So, in this world where people seem to naturally default to misunderstanding, anger, conflict, isolation, fear, and retaliation, any day marked by coming together is a beautiful thing.

I am just so very happy to see Andrew, Naomi, Craig, and Alicia all here at the same time, and to see their offspring loved with such conviction and commitment.

“Look at how good and pleasing it is when families live together as one!” – DEREK